Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation (TMS) is one of the most promising, evidence-based, noninvasive treatments in modern neuroscience, yet most people, including many physicians, have never heard of it. In this episode, Dr. Ravi Kumar sits down with neurologist Dr. Ali Elahi, who has spent years treating depression, dementia, OCD, PTSD, ADHD, addiction, neuropathic pain, and post-stroke deficits using advanced, targeted TMS protocols. 

Unlike medications, TMS requires no anesthesia, no surgery, and no daily pills, and carries an extraordinarily low risk profile. And the clinical results, especially for treatment-resistant depression and early dementia, are often life-changing. As Dr. Elahi explains, TMS can activate underperforming brain circuits, restore connectivity, enhance neuroplasticity, and even improve biological markers of Alzheimer’s pathology. 

If you or someone you love has felt stuck, discouraged, or told there are “no more options,” this episode offers a rare window into a therapy that is transforming lives quietly, safely, and profoundly. 

WHAT WE COVER IN THIS EPISODE

What TMS actually is
A noninvasive brain-modulation therapy that uses targeted electromagnetic pulses to activate or inhibit specific neural networks—without pain, chemicals, or downtime.

Why most people, including doctors, still haven’t heard of it
TMS has decades of high-quality research, but minimal financial incentives behind it. Medications get advertising; TMS gets overlooked.

Conditions TMS can treat

• Treatment-resistant depression
• OCD
• PTSD
• Addiction
• Dementia and memory disorders
• Post-stroke paralysis and speech recovery
• Chronic neuropathic pain
• Migraines
• Select peripheral nerve injuries
• ADHD

How a TMS session actually feels and looks
No MRI tubes. No sedation. You sit comfortably in a chair while a figure-8 magnetic coil gently “taps” on the scalp, often described as a rhythmic tapping sensation.

Real-world outcomes: Dr. Elahi’s family stories
From bipolar depression to peripartum anxiety to ADD, Dr. Elahi shares the dramatic improvements he saw when he treated his own family members to validate the therapy’s safety and effectiveness.

Depression: Why TMS outperforms medication for many patients

• Medications help 30–40% of patients; much of that is placebo
• Standard TMS achieves 40–60% response even in patients who already failed medications
• With personalized targeting (MRI navigation, biomarkers), success rates can reach 80–90%
• Remission rates reach 40–60%, something antidepressants rarely achieve

 Side effects: Among the lowest of any neuropsychiatric therapy

• Mild scalp discomfort or headache
• Rare transient fatigue
• Seizure risk: 1 in 30,000, lower than common antidepressants
• No weight gain, sexual dysfunction, emotional flattening, or daily pill burden

Accelerated protocols: How Stanford reduced 36 days of treatment to 5 days
The SAINT protocol delivers multiple short sessions daily for one week, producing >90% response rates in severe depression.

Why patients often feel their best 2–3 weeks after finishing therapy
Neural networks continue reorganizing after the final session, leading to delayed, compounding improvements in mood and function.

The misunderstood serotonin story
Why the classic “low serotonin causes depression” model has been scientifically dismantled, and why TMS mechanisms are actually better understood than those of many antidepressants.

Dementia: Why TMS may offer more hope than medications

• Clinical trials show measurable improvements in cognitive scores
• Helps reduce agitation, improve memory, increase motivation
• Biomarkers such as phosphorylated tau and amyloid ratios appear to normalize after TMS
• Enhances microglial cleanup, vascular flow, and synaptic connectivity
• No known serious adverse effects

Targeting dementia with TMS
Stimulation typically includes bilateral prefrontal cortex, precuneus, parietal regions, and sometimes temporal lobes—areas involved in memory, attention, and executive function.

Why the FDA rejects dementia TMS trials but approves $50,000 monoclonal infusions
A candid discussion about financial incentives, regulatory culture, and why effective, low-profit treatments struggle for visibility.

ABOUT DR. ALI ELAHI

Ali Elahi, MD is a board-certified neurologist and director of NeuroSpa Brain Rejuvenation, where he specializes in advanced, personalized TMS treatment for depression, dementia, chronic pain, OCD, PTSD, and post-stroke recovery. His approach integrates clinical neuroscience with individualized brain mapping to maximize response rates and minimize relapse. Dr. Elahi has treated thousands of patients and is pioneering the use of TMS in memory disorders, including emerging biomarker-guided protocols.

He is passionate about providing safe, effective alternatives to medications, especially for patients who feel they’ve run out of options.

Website: https://neurospabrain.com

Clinic Phone: (949) 652-7301

YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@neurospabrain

CONNECT WITH DR. KUMAR

 
Website: https://drkumardiscovery.com
 
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@TheDrKumarDiscovery
 
Podcast: https://drkumardiscovery.com/podcast
 

IF THIS EPISODE HELPED YOU

 
Please rate and review The Dr. Kumar Discovery Podcast on Apple Podcasts.
 
Your reviews help more people find life-changing information, especially those struggling with depression, dementia, or chronic neurological symptoms who may not know that TMS exists.